Is oregano late to appear, or did my plants not make it through the winter? (I put them in last spring). All the other herbs in the same bed are coming up nicely :)
Should I fertilize my emerging herbs with anything special?
Thanks!
Is oregano late to appear?
My oregano is up already, but it's really estblished (5 yrs old). Newer plants sometimes come up more slowly because they're still establishing their root systems. I'd wait a few weeks.
I don't think that (in general) herbs like a lot of fertilizer. I haven't fertilized mine in 3 years and they grow like *weeds*. My oregano is up - but this is it's third or fourth year.
I second the "no fertilizer". The ones that I neglect do much better than the ones I fuss over. There is so much mint and oregano in my mid-summer garden, that they encroach on my lawn!
Well, I suppose zone 8b doesn't really have a vote here -- but mine's up and running, about to form flowers. Ditto on the no fertilizer, though.
No fertilizer it is. I'll wait a little longer on my oregano. Until recently, we've had a rainy and chilly spring, so maybe it just needs some time.
Thanks, everyone.
Well, here's another view from waaay down south. Mine's up and growing all over the place too, but then I over wintered it in the GH, so guess that doesn't count. ;) Also say "no" to the fertilizing as I've heard it makes them flower ... and you don't want herbs to flower when you're cooking with them. It will make them bitter. :-) Hope it comes up for you.
The oregano actually was short, but green during the winter. It's gotten some height recently. I don't fertilize, either. I've got some that bakes in the sun in a planter on the back patio. Can't kill it!
IO1 ~ you shouldn't have to even GH it for the winter... I was nervous but convinced by a northern DGr to leave mine out for the winter. I keep it in a large pot. I was apprehensive, kept in in a protected area by the house and watched it like a hawk. It died back but came back quickly and is thriving. You might try leaving it out next winter. pod
I snipped off the bits that had flowers forming -- is it too late? None had actually blossomed -- they were just forming the buds. If the leaves will already be bitter (I didn't taste them) I'll just let them flower and not cook with them. I have another pot of oregano I just started, so no panic or anything.
My greek oregano also looks like the winter killed it. I've had the plant for 2 years, but last year was the first summer it was planted in the ground, rather than a pot. I'm pretty sure it's dead, but I keep hoping. My berggarten sage is also in the same condition. I fear both need replacement.
Give it a little time if you can. My stevia was really most sincerely dead as far as I could tell. It's about 8" tall and nice and bushy now.
My oregano wasn't up about two weeks ago either. I had to dig in that area to put up a greenhouse and I was upset that I couldn't find the oregano so I could move it. I've had this plant for about 20 years and I brought it here from my other house. Boo hoo! My kids used to tell their friends to rub the leaves on the plant and smell their fingers and then tell them what they smelled. They always told them that it was the pizza plant! That was my kids' favorite herb when they were small. As luck would have it, the woman I bought it from years ago closed her nursery but is going to be at our farmer's market. When I told her about my oregano, she knew exactly which strain it was and is going to bring some to the market. I am thrilled. Oregano is hardy in my area through brutally cold and snowy winters. I have just left it in the ground and it has spread and has always come back. When I get my oregano again, I'll post which one it is. Of course, I can't remember, but my herb lady does.
My potential problem is the opposite -- will it survive a Texas summer? We shall see...
Mine has survived a couple of our summers, I keep it in afternoon shade and by late summer it looks a little haggard ~ like I feel. A haircut and some fall weather always rejuvenate it.
That's why I bordered the herb garden with roses, so they'd have a little shade. I may have to buy some of those big cafe umbrellas, though.
Whew! After working outside today, maybe one of those porta-cool fans too!
I was wondering how it might do with the High Desert sun - luckily, by pure accident, all 4 of my tiny, baby oregano plants are set where they will get some afternoon shade. They are all seed grown, and surprisingly, all of them seem to have that nice "pizza" smell (some of my basils did not come true to seed). I didn't realize that oregano might be a pernial where I am. I put out markers today as once the snow decends in the winter, it erases my memory as well as the garden!